~~~
The next morning.
I wake up to the sound of birds chirping. I stretched, sitting up, and couldn't help touching my body once again, just to confirm if everything was real, that I'm alive.
That everything wasn't a dream. I smile, happy for the moon goddess's blessing. I get out of bed and reach for my old diary I haven't touched in years and write down everything that transpired in the past month before my death.
I've been reborn, yes.
I've successfully prevented intimacy with the alpha. Checked.
And in this life I've felt my mate, something that didn't happen in the previous one. I need to find him. But then, I can't forget I'm a slave and a traitor hated by all.
I steel myself, ready for what may lie ahead. Because that place I sensed my mate at is a place where only high-ranking wolves live.
And that knowledge alone fills my heart with dread—what if he rejects me?
My status as a slave could make him turn away in disgust. And even worse, he might already harbor a deep-seated hatred for me, because he also lost a loved one because of me.
But I hope it is not so.
I need someone. Someone to rely on in this hellhole, someone to call my own. Someone who will love, cherish, and accept me. I hope that's not asking too much.
"Silver. Are you there? I miss you. You said you never left me. But why won't you respond to me?" I call out to her, yearning for a response, but still she doesn't answer. I sigh, frustrated as I close the diary, putting it back where I took it from.
I went to my small ensuite bathroom to quickly wash the cloth and underwear I'm wearing, which I came back to hang.
After hanging them to dry, I went back and took a bath.
I slip on my other clothes when the sound of movement outside my cabin causes me to freeze. I stiffen as events from last night replay inside my head, and dread settles heavily in my stomach.
"Oh, moon goddess. I'm finished." I mutter under my breath as I try to come up with a way to escape. But my pounding heart is loud enough to inform whoever it was outside I'm aware of their presence.
However, the last voice I least expect speaks from outside.
"Caroline, open this door."
Mother? What is she doing here? And she called me by my name?
That's odd.
She has never come here since I was sent here three years ago. What changed this time? Does it have anything to do with last night?
Did preventing Alpha Trevor from having his way with me perhaps play a role in this change? My mind buzzes with questions.
Letting out a loud sigh of relief, I approach the door and open it after a while; still, I couldn't calm down knowing what might happen with the alpha.
"Mrs. Jones," I greet, my gaze downcast.
"Why didn't you finish with your task of cleaning the ceremonial hall?" she asks, her voice so gentle I couldn't help but steal a glance at her face in bewilderment.
"I… I, um, encountered some…" I stammer, thinking of an excuse. But I couldn't come up with any. I lower my head, my fingers fidgeting, betraying my nervousness as I murmur in a shaky voice,
"Forgive me, Mrs. Jones. I deserve to be punished—" But she raises her hand, silencing me with
"Enough. I know you got tired. I will excuse you for that." I look up immediately, with surprise etched on my face.
However, instead of reprimanding me for looking her in the eyes like she usually does, she smiles softly at me.
"Thank you, Mrs. Jones, for your kindness." I thank her, keeping a straight face.
"You don't have to be so formal, child. You can call me Mother." Her statement hangs in the air, and I see something similar to sadness flash in her eyes as she looks at me.
Something is terribly wrong, or there's a deeper motive behind her visit. I force a smile and reply,
"I will try." She nods, reaching for a bag on the ground I haven't noticed.
"I brought you some new clothes. I hope you'll like them. And also breakfast. Eat and change into one of them. Come find me at the kitchen once you're finished to assign you your chores for today," she says, passing me the bag.
But I instinctively shake my head.
"Thank you, but I can't—"
"Nonsense. Take it, and from today on, tell me if you need anything. Now, here. You'll love what I prepared—it's your favorite."
At this point, I could only accept the bag, bowing slightly to show my gratitude.
"Thank you, Mrs. Jo—"
"Mother," she interjects with a smile.
"Thank you, Mother." I return her smile, waiting for her to leave as my emotions threaten to spill over at her sudden behavior.
However, a few steps away, she turns, facing me, and demands.
"Have you had any encounters with the alpha recently?"
My heart skips as I vigorously shake my head. She smiles, sighing, then adds,
"No matter what, stay away from him. Understand?"
"Yes, I do." I respond, swallowing hard as she walks away. I walk back inside, locking the door behind me.
I approach my bed, sit, and slowly unzip the duffle bag. There were two tightly sealed transparent plastic bowls containing food, which I put aside.
Curiosity piqued.
I pulled out one of the clothes, an olive green off-shoulder pleated maxi dress; it was so beautiful.
I went through the remaining content of the bag. And there were other necessities: shampoos, soaps, combs, four black ballerina flats, panties and bras, and hangers for hanging my new clothes. But then there was money.
And that one got me worried.
Am I being set up here? Why the sudden change? I know how she hates me. There's no way a person can change overnight.
I was at the ceremonial hall last night because of her. She slapped me after the princess complained that I didn't wash her feet properly in the morning and even denied me my bread and fish.
She made me fetch water the entire morning, do laundry in the afternoon, and clean the vast ceremonial hall in the evening.
How can someone like that change overnight? But looking at the meals packed nicely in the bowls, I could not help myself.
Putting aside the chance the food might be poisoned. Perhaps that's the sad truth: even now, I still trust she won't want me dead.
I finish eating quickly, and at the thought of meeting my mate today, I slip on the olive green dress, comb my hair, and make a mental note to later trim my fringe, which was almost falling over my eyes.
I slip on one of the flats and smile, admiring how I look.
Maybe, just maybe, the moon goddess heard my pleas last night and sent me my mother. But after all I had suffered, I reminded myself not to get my hopes up.
~~~
I decided to use the back door, hoping to avoid running into the alpha.
I was rounding a corner, to quietly sneak into the pack house, when I was overwhelmed by that intoxicating scent of wild dandelions and wet earthy soil, just as Silver shifted within me.
My heart begins to race inside my chest, and when I look over, my breath hitches when I see him—the man I went through all the struggles to avoid.
Ahead was Alpha Trevor in the company of his beta, Logan, who's my big brother, and his friend, Vince, the vampire king, who's also the brother of his soon-to-be Luna, Valerie.
"Oh, my goddess. So my mate is the Vampire king?" I whisper, turning to slip away quietly before he notices me. I cast a quick glance in their direction one last time to make sure I'm in the clear—only to lock eyes with them all staring back at me.
Time seems to stop as I stand there, at a loss as if in a staring competition. I look at them, and they look back at me.
Intensely.
Then, Alpha Trevor's expression twisted, and as if that was the cue I've been waiting for, I looked ahead, my head held high as I walked toward them.
My eyes flickered towards Vince, my mate, who wasn't making any move to acknowledge our bond.
And it hurts, even though I had mentally and emotionally prepared for this. Tears stung my eyes, but I blinked them back; I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of seeing me shed tears.
"Alpha, my lord, and beta." I say, bowing to pay my respects to them. And I can feel the intensity of Alpha Trevor's eyes piercing holes into my skin, the intimidating aura around him making it so hard for me to breathe.
I straighten up, pivoting toward the kitchen with hurried steps.
Just then something blurred past me like a gust of wind, and the next second, I crashed into a firm wall as the intoxicating scent of my mate infiltrated my nostrils.
"Mate." The word escapes my lips as powerful arms wrap around my waist, steadying me.
I smile as I lean into his arms longingly.
"Vince!" Alpha Trevor's thunderous growl echoes behind me, sending a chill down my spine.